


I get by with a little help from my bodyguard ?

by StrongDork



Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: Age Play, Age Regression/De-Aging, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Atlas CEO Rhys, Caretaking, During BL3, I love Rhysha dearly, Little Space, M/M, No Smut, Non-Sexual Age Play, Other, Please Don't Kill Me, Rhysha never happened, SFW but this is considered kink territory so consume with that in mind, Soft boys being soft, age regression as a coping mechanism, cgl, no betas we die like men, very sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-12
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-20 12:26:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30004860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StrongDork/pseuds/StrongDork
Summary: Being the CEO and running his own company was everything Rhys ever dreamed for. That dream came true but at what cost?Rhys has his own unique way of dealing with stress, Zer0 comes along for the ride and discovers his new favorite down time activity. Taking care of Rhys.
Relationships: Rhys/Zer0 (Borderlands)
Kudos: 15





	I get by with a little help from my bodyguard ?

**Author's Note:**

> Oh l o r d here goes nothing

Humans were strange creatures, Zer0 seldom understood them. On a base level he did yes, but even after years spent amongst them he still knew so little. They were complex beings with customs far more alien than anything they considered “Alien” They were one of the few species still tied to restrictive gender rules, beings like Zer0 confused them and so they enforced these rules upon them too. Not that he minded, where he came from there was no such thing as gender, the humans had just assumed he was by their standards male or at least male presenting and so had settled for He and him, if it made things easier for them he had no qualms, he knew what he was, titles did not affect him. If anything he enjoyed the added layer of animosity it granted him, another barrier between them and his true identity.

The masked assassin had learned a lot from his friends, about humans, their way of life among other things whilst down on Pandora. He had thought himself quite knowledgeable on the subject of humans, that was of course until he met this one in particular. After saving two strangers from a feral skag on an elevator in an old Atlas facility, this human, this man, dressed more appropriately for a board room than Pandora, had fumbled with his hands and instead of saying a simple thanks or remaining stunned into silence, he had told the assassin how cool he thought he was. Which, well, he wasn’t wrong he was in fact very cool thank you very much. 

They had very little control over the display on their visor, the little emoticons hard wired to react to their emotional state, and so a <3 had appeared before he could really think. It was simple, not a single word spoken and the man across from him was chameleoning the red glow of the emoticon as it faded to black. The elevator had come to a halt once it reached the top and Zer0 jumped right back into action, leaving the tinged red cheeks and their owner behind. However he was distracted, the man's peculiar reaction affecting him in ways it ought not to have a trained assassin. His mind was in two places at once, making him an easy target and before he really realized he had lost focus he was flying through the air, his sword spinning off to the side. Shit. 

When he had recovered from the impact his first thought was his sword, where it had gone, and if it had fallen into bandit hands. Zer0 peaked out from behind cover in search of his sword, and there he was again, that human from before; holding his sword. The man didn’t look like much of a weaponry person, but there he stood with the digistructed blade pointed to the sky as the giant skag an unsuspecting psycho had accidentally released into the arena, jumped over him. It was… impressive for a man who looked much better suited behind a desk than a bandit camp, he took down the beast singlehandedly despite the immense size difference, and came out relatively unharmed, perhaps a little bloody but none which was his own. 

After that encounter Zer0 found himself thinking of the man from time to time, curious about what he might be doing, if he was still alive even, he couldn’t get past just how out of place he looked, there was something oddly fascinating about it. He secretly hoped their paths would cross again, if only to fuel this morbid curiosity further. 

As fate would have it, quite some time later they did in fact meet again. Zer0 was contacted about the opening of the vault of the traveller by the man himself, Rhys was his name. Rhys, and the new vault hunter Fiona he had heard about from Mordecai, this would surely be interesting and the pair were going to need as much help as possible so why the hell not.  
After the Traveler was destroyed and the vault was looted by Fiona and Rhys, the man had approached Zer0 as he was sorting through loot of his own from the newly vanquished vault beast. He had admittedly stumbled over his words and made a bit of a mess of what he had been trying to ask, but the assassin got the gist. He had asked Zer0 to work for him as his bodyguard, why someone like Rhys needed a bodyguard he didn’t know. He had said as much too, voicing his concerns about the cost vs the workload, could Rhys even afford them for a start… probably, what with those nice fancy suits he continued to wear despite his surrounding environment. He could not comment on the colour choice, after all, he too wore an entirely black suit, however his was for stealth purposes, Rhys unlikely had such an excuse. 

Rhys had assured Zer0 that he would be needing a bodyguard, but stressed that he would rather not divulge why until he had Zer0 at the very least shake on it, they could deal with paperwork later. Well that alone had piqued the assassins interest and for the second time that day they found themselves throwing caution to the wind and taking a leap into the unknown for this man, one that would ultimately become one of the best decisions they ever made. They agreed to the man's terms and were rewarded with the knowledge that Rhys had managed to secure the deeds to the old Atlas corporation from the wreckage of Helios, well the certificate for the entirety of their stocks, making Mr Rhys Strongfork the rightful(ish) owner of Atlas. 

Suddenly the bodyguard part made much more sense, once word of this caught wind there was going to be a target the size of Elpis on the man's back. The fact Rhys had been reluctant to let Zer0 in on this little piece of information before getting a solid answer out of him also made sense, he didn’t begrudge him that, it was a smart move. Rhys was a smart man. He had done well to get Gortys up and running and with the help of his friends he had defeated a vault beast and pillaged a vault. That however shrunk in comparison to what Zer0 learned about this brilliantly strange man as they travelled across Pandora together. 

Whatever Rhys had found inside that vault now meant that he knew the location of all of the abandoned Atlas facilities across Pandora, and he was determined to get them all back up and running. However they were scattered around the planet, some weeks away from each other and so the unlikely pair had plenty of time to get to know one another, or at least as much of Zer0 as he could really ever tell another person. As they travelled he learned that Rhys had been a middle manager stuck up on Helios for most of his adult life thus far, he learned about Vasquez, the botched vault key that landed Rhys and Vaughn on Pandora, the ID drive turned usb stick from hell with satan himself residing inside of it. 

He learned of the groups hairbrained plan to get the last piece of Gortys for Vallory and her gang, how Rhys had uploaded the ghost of the man Zer0 had watched fall to the ground limp and lifeless away from the business end of his gun, right into the very space station. He learned how Rhys had, against all odds, outsmarted Jack and single handedly ripped Helios from orbit from the inside out, barely making it to an escape pod in time. Now Zer0 was already impressed, far more than he had thought possible, despite Rhys’ insistence that what happened with Helios was nothing to be proud of. He had killed countless people in that crash to defeat Jack, and whilst that was true and sure, those people didn't all deserve it, Zer0 tried to reassure him that some of them definitely did, Jack especially. 

But the most impressive thing of all was how Rhys had finally stamped the man out, tearing his own cybernetics out, his arm clean off and his eye and port out from his skull. They had been sat around a campfire when Rhys was telling him this, the man pausing awkwardly to look across at his companion as they shared a silent moment. The helmet was impossible to read, which only furthered Rhys’ anxiety, he pulled his hand away from where he had been warming it in the heat emanating from the fire, ready to cover up what he had said and move swiftly on when Zer0 stopped him. The assassins helmet lit up with a single emoticon, a :O. 

“Wow that is hardcore / did not think you capable / you are a badass Rhys” 

“My apologies for doubting you” 

Rhys had been stunned into remaining silent, sunkissed cheeks from months spent out in the sun on the planet's surface, covering up the faint blush at the compliment from someone he so vehemently admired. It took a while for him to speak up again, Zer0 had started to question whether or not he had broken the man. “I… wow, dude that’s… that means a lot coming from you… thanks” His smile had been genuine. 

The coming months were filled with their continued tour of Pandora as they searched for the abandoned Atlas facilities, Rhys had his work cut out for him bringing everything back online, clearing out infested bunkers with tech that hadn’t been touched in years, thankfully nothing was too far gone or broken beyond repair, with the help of Zer0 and his friends, Rhys managed to get each and every one of the facilities up and running. Months turned to years and their little team grew into full staff for each facility, working on Rhys’ designs which at current were just modified versions of the guns Atlas had already been working on. It was important that they started small, worked from the bottom up to build their reputation back up to where it had been before the fall, that and of course Rhys had the task of assuring the general populous that he was in fact not a crazed psychopath like the former CEO had been. 

Rhys worked unbelievably hard and took it all in his stride, it was admirable really. He was no killer, he couldn’t use the very thing he manufactured for toffee, he wasn’t an adventurer, and he wasn't even a real vault hunter, really. But what he was, was determined, hardworking and admittedly stubborn but for the most part that worked in his favour. He was undeniably human, Zer0 recalled thinking one day as they watched him running around one of the facilities on Pandora, frazzled and at his wits end but still very much there and ready to get his hands dirty to make sure this company succeeded.

In just two short years Rhys had managed to get Atlas back on the map, clawing his way up out of the rubble and staking his claim on the market, the next step was Promeathea. The home planet of Atlas, where the original HQ still lay as a pile of bricks and dust. He and Zer0 travelled to the planet alone, ready for the next chapter of this highly unlikely story they had both found themselves a part of. 

From there they had risen like a phoenix, a rather slow and steady phoenix yes but no less fierce or fiery. With Rhys at the helm, Atlas was shaping up to be quite the competitor in the galactic market, now with the funds and resources to start working on Rhys’ own original ideas. He had a vision for this company and he was going to see that through, accessibility was his focus, born half out of a need to put fears that history would repeat itself to bed, and half out of Rhys’ own inability to fire a standard gun. Wrist supports were added, they would go hand in hand with the latest digistruct technology meaning there was no extra time spent faffing with straps. This was a special feature for the pistols alone, the fact this feature was born out of a handful of long nights at the drawing board after he realised he should probably be keeping at least a pistol on him, just in case, was something nobody needed to know. Homing rounds and tracking pucks were made a standardised feature across all weaponry, including their launchers, why not. 

He was criticised for making his designs gimmicky with these features, but Rhys simply took it as a compliment that those were the only faults people could find or focus on. He took that as a job well done, after all, sales were booming so gimmicky or not, his weapons were selling. Let them say whatever they want, the numbers spoke for themselves as far as he was concerned. 

The weapons were good, Rhys’ designs were too, they were different for sure and certainly didn’t look like any weapon the assassin had ever fired. They looked like something straight out of a video game, they were unique, they were Rhys. The real pièce de résistance were the cybernetics that Rhys designed. It had started out as a personal project, he had designed his own arm and had a considerable hand in the construction of it, he designed his own echo eye too, however that was lesh flashy than his swanky new arm; his words. He coded them both, and that was the real magic, the new and advanced interfaces for both and their integration into the Atlas network was truly something to behold. The ran smoother than anything he had previously owned, the sensitivity on his arm was as close as he could remember to the real feel. This was just another thing added to the list of things about Rhys that never failed to impress the assassin. He had watched Rhys blossom and grow from this tepid hyperion desk jockey, into an innovative force to be reckoned with, standing tall amongst the corporate giants as one of them. 

He had also watched as the workload grew and Rhys had tried to weather the mounting pressure as if it wasn't there, pushing himself to his limits and brute forcing his way through. Zer0 had pondered his place in mentioning that perhaps he should rest, take it a little easier, Atlas would still be there when he returned, be that from a nap or however long it took for him to sit and eat something instead of eating whilst he worked and barely sleeping. 

He was his employer, and Zer0 was his bodyguard. Guarding his body meant taking care of it, making sure he stayed alive, and whilst unconventional he supposed that also meant making sure the man did not kill himself accidentally, right? In the early days Rhys had put up resistance, insisting that he was fine and that he would rest when Atlas didn’t need its metaphorical hand holding quite as much. He never once reminded Zer0 of his “Place” whatever that was exactly, he never snapped or replied with anything other than a tired smile that said everything he didn’t have the energy for. Thank you for caring. For being here with me. For doing more than I pay you for. 

As the years went by the workload only continued to grow with the company and when they moved to promethea it practically tripled, maybe more. Rhys worked insane hours to get everything in place and it became a common occurrence for Zer0 to find the man asleep at his desk when coming to report on their progress. That's right. Somewhere along the way it had shifted from Rhys’ progress, Atlas’ progress to their progress. Rhys had always referred to them as a team but when they moved to Promethea, to the brand new HQ, Zer0 was no longer just Rhys’ bodyguard, he had agreed to being Atlas’ head of security. So now, Atlas was no longer just Rhys’ burden to shoulder, as if it ever really had been, if he had just asked. If he would still just ask. But that wasn’t his style, strung to the high heavens and back the man would continue to try to carry an entire corporation on his back for the rest of time until it ultimately crumbled. However, luckily it would not meet such a fate if Zer0 had anything to do with it, he wouldn't let that happen. No, he had watched this man slave away and give his all to make his dreams come true and along the way won the hearts of those around him, Atlas worked because Rhys was well… Rhys. 

A mysterious and wonderful man that had taught Zer0 so much more about humans than he thought possible, most importantly that someone as unassuming as Rhys could pull off the impossible. The assassin respected that, more than the CEO likely knew. He inspired Zer0 every day and that was quite the compliment all things considered, quite the feat too. It was strange, forigene to them at first but not at all a bad feeling, but one he ultimately spent many hours meditating on. The most prevalent question was what to do about it, if anything even needed to be done. Eventually he concluded that he wanted to perhaps share some of this with Rhys instead of watching silently from behind whatever emoticon flashed across his visor when in the CEO’s presence. 

It was just a question of how, he was a firm believer that actions spoke louder than words and so he started there. Fresh coffee on his desk in the morning, lunchtime and evening. Bagels from his favourite stand for breakfast also deposited on the desk, lunch from alternating eateries spotted on his patrols around the city, dinner too, although he tried to discourage that one. Rhys thanked the assassin for the gifts but reminded him that he really didn’t need to, to which Zer0 had responded with a :(. 

“Nice try however / you are a bad liar Rhys / you forget yourself”

The CEO had laughed around the sushi roll already in his mouth, his stomach doing the thinking for him, manners out of the window. This was Zer0, he didn’t have to watch himself around the assassin. Not anymore. He wasn’t entirely sure when that had happened but as he hummed appreciatively, allowing himself a rare moment to just enjoy the food he had been given, he didn’t care. And neither did Zer0. 

“See you were hungry / you really should listen / to your body more” 

;P

Despite the gesture, Rhys continued to work through what were supposed to be his breaks and well into the night, pushing himself to the breaking point and it only got worse as deadlines closed in. He would basically live in his office regardless of the fact he lived upstairs. His penthouse was but an elevator ride away and yet the man preferred to do his sleeping on that uncomfortable hard wood desk. Zer0 grew suspicious as more deadlines piled up that Rhys had barely been moving from that poor abused desk chair of his, for the last week. His suspicions were confirmed when he stopped by the office one evening, just to make sure the CEO was planning on going home, he was even prepared to have to fight the man on it, and mean it, and there he was. His body bent awkwardly over his desk, close to slipping from his perch. As head of security and personal bodyguard to the man himself, Zer0 of course was the only other person with access to Rhys’ private lift that led to the man's penthouse. Rhys had told him that it was for emergencies only and well, without the man awake to clarify, the assassin had decided to declare this a state of emergency. Rhys was overworked beyond belief, it hadn’t even been late when Zer0 had stopped by, the sun was just starting to set and daytime staff were filtering out into the metroplex, back home as Rhys should have been doing. 

He had stopped beside the man, debated waking him up but decided against it when he considered the fact he would then have to convince Rhys to go upstairs… which if his track record was anything to go by, he was going to all but outright refuse. And so the most effective plan of action was to scoop the CEO up into his arms and carry the man to bed himself, if that was what it took to prevent Rhys from killing himself, then so be it. He had been easy to lift despite his awkward position, with little more than an incoherent mumble. His sleeping form flopped against the assassins armoured chest, a damp cheek colliding with a padded plate. Zer0 paid it no mind, determined to get Rhys into that elevator as soon as possible. 

If he was not working perhaps Zer0 would have noted the peaceful look on the man's face as he snoozed, the way his face wasn’t contorted, lines growing roots in his skin as he stared at yet another schematic trying to figure out exactly what had gone wrong. Or maybe, just maybe he did, and perhaps that was why he hadn't noticed that Rhys wasn’t going to fit through the elevator door head on. His gangly legs, far too long for their own good, knocked against the entrance causing the man to stir against the assassins chest.

“Mhph- Wha-” 

His eyes were starting to open as Zer0 turned sideways, stepping into the elevator; a ! from his visor illuminating the space as the door shut in front of them. 

“Sleep, Rhys.” 

No haiku, just a simple command that the CEO readily obeyed, mumbling something to himself as he settled back down against Zer0s chest. He awoke beneath silk sheets to his alarm going off, feeling more well rested than he had in… well in longer than he cared to admit. It was nice but how had he gotten here? He pondered that thought as he made his way out into his kitchen/living space, he was met by a small paper bag on his kitchen counter and an iced coffee. With them was a note. 

“I found you asleep / you will break your back like that / enjoy your breakfast”

Z xD

Rhys decided to take it a little easier that day, much to Zer0’s delight he did not clock into his office until 8am. Baby steps. 

Things continued like this for quite some time, the pair falling into something of a routine. Zer0 would bring the man his meals throughout the day when he wasn’t out on assignments, and Rhys continued to work through his breaks and well into the evening. Every month or so he would however reach a breaking point where Zer0 would have to coerce him into going home. Each time it got easier and Rhys was more willing to listen. Or maybe Zer0 was becoming more comfortable with stepping outside of the realm of professionalism and demanding as a friend that Rhys take care of himself, because that's what they were right? 

Somewhere between Pandora and Promethea the pair had become something more than strictly business and neither seemed to mind. Whatever it was had never been outwardly addressed by either party, it didn’t need to be, it was there in the tired smiles whenever the assassin made reports to the CEO, it was there in the blank void of Zer0’s mask whenever Rhys grinned around a mouthful of whatever his bodyguard had brought him for lunch that day, it was there when the CEO relented in the early evenings instead of insisting he would rest when the work was done, listening to his bodyguard and switching off, leaving just Rhys and Zer0 stood in the sunset flooding through the office windows. Why ruin it with unnecessary words. Words made things messy. 

This routine however was broken one day, and not in the way that Zer0 had feared may happen. The workload had been mounting steadily as they approached multiple deadlines at once, a new launch, budget approvals and extensions for projects that should have been finished long ago were drawing in, it had left the CEO frazzled, stretched thin between the lot. Zer0 had feared that Rhys would return to his old self, refusing to listen to the assassin’s very valid and real concerns, but he didn’t. Sure as the deadlines were drawing in he took longer to convince, but Rhys was still spending more time at home than before, even if that meant only that he was sleeping in his bed rather than against his desk. 

The problem came in the morning when it reached 8am and Zer0 arrived with Rhys' breakfast to find his desk vacant. The assassin knew his bosses schedule like the back of his hand, he had to, it was quite literally his job to know of his whereabouts at all times during the work day. Despite spending more time at home, Rhys would always return the next morning bright and early. Zer0 doubted the man had slept in, he had shed the need of an alarm years ago, his body waking naturally early after years of working for Hyperion. Even in the unlikely event his body was to betray him however, Rhys still set himself alarms just in case, Zer0 remembered as much from their time on Pandora. Each morning at 6am Rhys’ alarm would echo through whatever facility they were staying at, waking all of those in the vicinity, Zer0 of course was awake before then, meditating nearby, a silent >:D flashing across his visor at the resounding groans upon being forced awake by their leaders alarm. 

Point being, there was no way Rhys could have possibly slept in without something being seriously wrong. He could have simply been needed in one of Atlas’ many departments, no, his desk lay identical to how it had been the previous night, the chair was still tucked in and the holo monitor hadn’t been activated. Rhys had a knack for leaving his computer running whenever he did manage to leave the office, it was locked and password protected of course but if he was going to lock it why not simply move an inch to the left and boot it down whilst he was at it, simply put, because it was Rhys; that was why. 

He booted everything up and checked his emails before doing anything else, it was a permanent part of his morning routine, so the monitor would have been activated if Rhys had been in here. Zer0 had an inkling as to where the CEO was, and whilst he should probably have double checked the security footage before heading up into his bosses private home, he needed to know. As the man’s bodyguard, as his protector, as his friend. 

The elevator doors opened to darkness, the penthouse lights flickering to life as Zer0 made his way in and over to the kitchen counter to deposit the man's breakfast. No sign of Rhys, if the lighting situation had been anything to go by, he hadn’t been up and about recently, which meant if he was here, he would likely still be in bed. Cautiously he made his way to Rhys’ bedroom through the eerily quiet penthouse, no less bizarre feeling even with the lights on now. Reaching the closed door he pressed onwards slowly, pushing the door open gently. Zer0 hadn’t been aware of the minute breath he had been holding until he released it upon seeing the man swaddled amongst his sheets on the bed. He noted how tiny Rhys looked laying in the center of the king sized mattress, he did not understand the humans need for such a big bed, his single cot was more than enough for him when he did use it, Rhys simply did not need all that space. Especially not if he was just going to curl up into himself bang in the middle. 

Upon stepping closer, actually into the room and over towards the bed, Zer0 could see that Rhys was in fact awake, his eyes were open and seemingly fixed on the patch of mattress directly in front of him. 

“So you are awake / Forgive me for intruding / you were not at work” 

There was a pause as Zer0 waited for a response, blank visor fixed on the CEO who continued to stare blankly at the mattress, either he hadn’t heard, which was highly unlikely, or he was choosing not to respond. 

“Do you feel unwell? / happens to the best of us / you have been busy” 

When there was still no response from the man, Zer0’s visor did the talking for him, flashing a bright ? emoticon on screen. 

“Rhys?” 

Nothing. >:( 

The man was breathing, blinking too so he was definitely both alive and awake, just otherwise unresponsive. If he wasn’t going to provide Zer0 with any verbal answers they were going to have to try a different approach, because regardless, something wasn’t right. He had seen this happen only a handful of times before, with Rhys’ specifically, back on Pandora. Occasionally the man would get quiet, really quiet, which anyone who knew the man in any degree could tell you was strange behaviour. Rhys was loud, and he always had a lot to say, be that barely intelligible ramblings or actual coherent sentences, he was never without plenty to say. 

So when the man got quiet, something was wrong, something was playing on his mind and he was refusing to share it or he was simply exhausted from over working and his mind had decided for him that it was time to take a break. Zer0 would find him in a quiet corner of the facility just sitting by himself, staring at the floor or something far off that no one else but Rhys could see. He would barely respond to anything the other had to say, giving perhaps a nod or a brief smile in response but otherwise remaining fixed on whatever he was staring at until Zer0 would try to leave him to it. He would suddenly look up from whatever nothingness had been holding his attention and reach out for the assassin, a pleading look in his eyes. It had confused him at first, and to be honest it still did but the pair had enjoyed moments together like that, sat in joint silence, content to just be and exist in the same space. 

It had never happened quite like this however, Rhys had never been unable to make it out of bed, it had always happened towards the end of a stressful day, something about this felt… different, but he couldn't place his finger on how. He decided to try once more to see if he could get anything out of the man before attempting a different approach. 

“Promethea to Rhys / would you like me to stay here? / do you require help?” 

Still nothing. Zer0 cocked his head ever so slightly, another ? flashing across the visor. He was going to have to try something a little sterner it seemed. 

“If you do not speak / I cannot assist you Rhys / I will simply leave” 

That seemed to get his attention, Rhys looked up almost instantly from his spot, a low whine growing in the back of his throat. 

“ Then tell me. What do you need?” It was still stern, well as stern as the flat modulator tone could manage. Rhys paused, seemingly for thought before reaching out to pat the mattress beside him. Zer0 took that as an invitation, lowering himself onto the plush surface, watching as Rhys ever so slightly retracted his hand, returning his gaze to the mattress in front of him. 

The pair shared a moment like this, Rhys nestling further into his pillows, pulling the duvet in closer as best he could with one arm. Zer0 was content to stay like this for as long as Rhys needed, however their peace was disturbed when the man's stomach decided to chime in, growling loudly in protest. 

!?

“You are hungry.” He stated, there was no asking about it, that noise only meant one thing. Rhys however yet again ignored the assassin in favour of nestling closer into his sheets with a grumble. That was most curious, Rhys always enjoyed the breakfasts Zer0 brought him, the lunches and dinners too, humans enjoyed food. So why was he ignoring such a basic and obvious need. He had only really observed such behaviors in human infants, the blatant refusal to tend to one's needs when their body demanded it. Irrespective of the fact they had to rely on adult humans to care for them, they would still refuse the help given to them by said adults, fighting their own basic needs as if they posed a threat. Humans called this being fussy.

Rhys was being fussy. 

“You need to eat, Rhys / do not ignore your body / I bought you bagels” :D 

Zer0 thought back to how adult humans managed to overcome this obstacle, he remembered vaguely that bridery of sorts was a common solution to this and well, being an assassin they considered themselves well versed in the art of bribery. Not that bridging your own boss was exactly looked upon favourably, If Rhys responded well then there was no harm done, right? No harm no foul. 

“Got your favourite / vercuvian ham and egg / probably still warm” That caught the man's attention, his head perked up a tad at the mention of the food… it sounded good, and he was hungry but getting out of bed, well now that just felt impossible. Zer0 didn’t miss the movement, he waited patiently for Rhys’ signal, whatever that may be. Rhys, after a moment of careful consideration, nodded in agreement. 

“You have coffee too / but you will need to get up / no eating in bed” 

Oh no, Rhys didn’t like that. That had been a push slightly too far, resulting in the CEO flopping back down onto the bed with a huff, burying his face in the pillows. Zer0 watched, surprised !? flashing onto his visor. He had been sure the coffee would have sweetened the deal enough to warrant more cooperation, not shoot him back to square one.

Now this he had also observed in human infants, no longer fussy but bordering on defiant, the beginnings of a tantrum, which adults had too, he had observed Rhys throwing many whilst working. However adult tantrums often manifested in yelling at an inanimate object when it did not bend to their will, fueled by the expectation that everything just worked and should continue to work when in reality it was very rare that things were so streamlined. 

This did not look like an adult tantrum though, this was very much the tell tale beginnings of one Zer0 had only ever seen in infants. Rhys was burying his head deeper into the pillows, desperately trying to pull the covers over his head with his one flesh hand, and failing rather miserably. Zer0 could not see it but his cheeks were turning a rather brilliant shade of pink, his ears joining them as tears welled in those mismatched eyes as he screwed them tightly shut against the fabric of his pillows. Whilst Zer0 had not experienced this before first hand, he had heard stories about adult humans who struggled to regulate themselves under immense pressure and so their body would provide a failsafe if it got too much, a return to a time when things weren’t so stressful, a safe space free of whatever was upsetting them, their brain craving something simpler. 

The assassin knew he was going out on a bit of a whim here but he wasn’t going to just abandon Rhys and leave him to likely rot in bed for the remainder of the day, he couldn't, not as his bodyguard, and certainly not as his friend. 

“Think about the crumbs / they will be itchy later / you will regret it” :( 

Rhys only continued trying to pull the covers over his head, eventually letting out an aggravated grumble when he realised it wasn’t going to work, instead opting to try and burrow his head under the pillows. So logic wasn’t going to work, Zer0 paused for thought, ellipsis scrolling across his visor. 

“If you are sure then / suppose we can use a tray / how does that sound, Rhys?”  
The man in question paused his wiggling for a moment, head halfway under the pillow, as if considering the compromise, not that it was really any compromise on his part. Managing a muffled “Yeah…” Zer0 almost jumped upon hearing his voice for the first time that day, taking it as a good sign that Rhys was perhaps relaxing a little, despite the obvious croak to his voice as he spoke through tears. 

“I have it covered / breakfast in bed it is then / I shall be right back” :)

The assassin got up from the bed, watching for any reaction from Rhys for a brief moment before turning to leave the room. He returned shortly after locating a tray in the man’s kitchen and dishing the bagels out onto a plate, the iced coffee was balanced beside said plate on the tray. Upon returning however he found that Rhys was now sat up in bed, his pillows adjusted to support his back as he sat with his knees up almost all the way to his chest. He appeared to be holding something in his lap, smiling down at it, it was nice to see him in better spirits, that was of course until Rhys had spotted the assassin. The object was quickly stuffed under the covers with enough force it almost toppled the unbalanced man without his robotic arm. Zer0 flashed a quick !? as Rhys’ cheeks lit up, burning a deep red into the pale skin as he stared back at him. 

He looked ready to cry all over again, or combust on the spot, neither were preferable so Zer0 was quick to step in, cleaning the distance between himself and the bed. 

“It is only me / no need to fret, all is well / I have your breakfast” 

Zer0 reassured gently as he lowered himself down onto the mattress without invitation this time, placing the tray in his lap as Rhys continued to peer back at the black void of his mask, much akin to a frightened animal. 

“What do you have there / I have likely seen stranger / I wont pass judgment” 

He had an inkling as to what it had been, from what little he had managed to see of said object when he walked in. One does not become a renowned assassin turn corporate bodyguard whilst remaining unobservant. Rhys however remained skeptical, fixing Zer0 with that same tight lipped look he always pulled when embarrassed, like a child, one that had been caught out. 

A moment passed between the two, neither speaking, neither one breaking the gaze they shared, Zer0’s grip remaining tightly on the tray as he waited for Rhys to make his next move. Eventually the man caved, looking down at his lap as he reached beneath the covers to retrieve his prize. Zer0 watched as Rhys pulled the stuffed skag back into his lap, it looked like it had seen better days, the stuffing having deflated a touch from what was no doubt years of love and affection from the boy. His assumption had been correct, which likely meant that his earlier assumption was true as well. Rhys was experiencing an altered state of being, he was no longer the CEO of Atlas, he was somewhere far away from that, somewhere much safer, and he was just Rhys. 

:D 

“That was not so bad / it looks soft for a skag / hope it doesn’t bite” 

Zer0 was then gifted with something he was surely never going to forget, he’d make sure of it, it made something inside of him light up in a way he had only felt a few times before, and he wanted more of it. 

Rhys giggled, not laughed, giggled. His rosey cheeks rounding into apples as the blush faded from them. “Nooo” He said, smiling wide as his mood shifted into something much more relaxed. “He doesn’t bite, he’s not a real skag, look!” Zer0 peered closer as Rhys held up the stuffed animal for him to inspect. 

“Ah I see, no mouth / that is quite unfortunate / how does he eat food?” 

Zer0 delighted in the way Rhys tried to press the skag closer as if he was missing some crucial detail, which he was totally not doing entirely on purpose. “No!” Rhys huffed despite the smile he still wore. “He’s not alive, he doesn’t need to eat” 

Zer0 allowed a !? to flash onto his visor in mock shock at this revelation. 

“Oh I understand / that explains why he’s so soft / does he have a name?” 

The plush was removed from view moments later, returning to Rhys’ lap, the boy's attention fully on the skag, not that Zer0 minded. He was enjoying watching the boy petting its velvety ‘fur’. 

“His name is Mr Skaggles, Mr Skag for short” Rhys explained matter of factly, looking back over at Zer0 whose visor remained blank, despite the little pang he had just felt in his chest. 

“That is a good name / is there a missus skag too? / or little skaglings?”

He was teasing now, that much was obvious from the >;D displayed across his visor, to which Rhys resummed giggling, shaking his head this time too. “No! Just Mr Skag and me!” 

“I’m glad he has you / wouldn’t want him lonely now / that would be a shame” 

That part however was genuine, even if Zer0 had perhaps been talking to the skag instead of Rhys. Remembering the tray in his lap he shifted further onto the mattress. 

“You should eat something / I can help if you would like / that sound good to you?” 

He tried to fight off the emoticon that followed, relenting in favour of allowing Rhys to enjoy his eagerness to help. 

> / / / <

Rhys simply nodded in agreement, saving the assassin from any prolonged embarrassment with a timid admittance that he too was craving wherever this was going. 

“I’d like that… a lot, yes please” The boy reached across his lap to pat the empty space beside him, wobbling a touch without his robotic arm to catch himself. “Sit next to me…” It wasn't a statement, nor a demand, instead a question, a quiet plea for closeness. One that Zer0 did not miss, not for a second. 

“Ok” 

No haiku, no need for unnecessary words when a simple yes and actions would speak much louder. He disengaged the hoof like attachments from his feet and shimmied further onto the mattress, adjusting himself until he was next to the boy, his socket bumping against Zer0’s armour. This was new for both parties, sure they had sat beside one another before, Rhys had fallen asleep on him in front of campfires on Pandora and on shuttle journeys to neighboring planets for conferences. This however felt different, something new, far more intimate than any other time the assassin had been forced to remain with a >///< on his visor as the man snoozed away. 

The pair stayed like that for a moment, Rhys absentmindedly petting Mr Skag as Zer0 remained pressed back against the headboard, unsure for once of what to do. 

“Those bagels are too big” Rhys suddenly said, almost startling Zer0 back to life, the boy must have felt the assassin tense up because he was reaching for his hand, grabbing it softly by the wrist. Zer0 watched curiously from behind his visor as Rhys guided his hand over to Mr Skag, placing the gloved appendage down on the toy. “When I get stressed, Mr Skag helps me feel better, his fur is the softest and I can't be sad when I’m petting him. It's impossible.” Rhys explained, never once taking his eyes off of the beloved skag as Zer0’s hand lay awkwardly atop him, as if he was scared to damage the thing. 

“I am wearing gloves / I’m sure he is very soft / pet him for me please” :) 

Well Rhys had absolutely no problem with that, if the little smile Zer0 received in return was anything to go by. The boy returned to petting the toy as Zer0 removed his hand, reaching across to the belt around his hips, there was a faint flash of blue and what looked like a dagger appeared in his hand. Rhys didn’t like that, cowering slightly against the assassins shoulder, whimpering quietly, suddenly gripping Mr Skag much tighter to his chest. 

“Do not be afraid / this is just for your bagels / making them smaller” 

Rhys seemed to relax a touch at the explanation, watching with a morbid curiosity as Zer0 sliced into the disks, chopping them up into much smaller more him sized pieces. “Isn’t that knife dirty?” 

That was… a bizarre question, but this was Rhys after all, it was to be expected, Zer0 mused. Once done with the bagel he held the blade up, away from Rhys of course, so the other could see. 

“Digi blade, no dirt / curious little human / it is bagel time” :D 

Rhys watched as the blade vanished into thin air, before looking down at the aforementioned bagels with a frown. He shuffled further forwards, opening his mouth with an expectant “Ah~”  
It took Zer0 a moment to realise what the boy meant by that, their gaze flicking between Rhys and the plate in his own lap despite his visor remaining still. Of course, the boy's hand was occupied with his Skag, it would be rude to disturb him. And so Zer0 reached out a gloved hand, picking up a carefully cut bagel segment, turning ever so slightly as he held it up to the boy's lips. Rhys opened wide for him, taking the bite sized piece into his mouth with a hum. 

For the second time that day, Zer0 felt something in his chest doing flips, a tight warmth bubbling beneath the suit, nothing nefarious, just admiration for the smallest of actions from Rhys. 

“Nice?” He asked, knowing full well the answer. Rhys didn’t leave him hanging for a second, quickly swallowing the mouthful with a nod, opening up for piece number two. “Ahh~” 

The pair fell into a harmonious rhythm, Zer0 holding up bagel bites to Rhys eager mouth, waiting for him to chew and swallow before handing him another, only pausing briefly between bites to help him take a sip from the straw in his iced coffee. Rhys had delighted in telling Zer0 in his usual matter of fact way that he wasn’t normally allowed coffee, and that Zer0 was a terrible influence. He stored that little nugget of information away for a later date; he had a feeling that would come in handy at a later date. For now he had told Rhys that he was allowed it just this once, and asked that he didn’t tell anyone else or they would both be in trouble. They had pinky sworn on it. 

Eventually the bagels were finished and the coffee was drained and Rhys was leaning sleepily against Zer0’s shoulder with a satisfied little smile on his face. He looked content, taken care of, loved. Moving the tray aside, Zer0 was careful not to jostle the boy too much, afraid he may ruin the moment of serenity between them, but he didn’t. Instead he managed to settle back down, sleeping his own legs under the bed sheets as Rhys nestled closer to him. 

“How are you feeling? / did you enjoy your bagels? / you look like you did” 

Rhys nodded against his shoulder, letting slip a happy sigh as he fought to keep his eyes open. “Yeah… they were good, the best!” He grinned, adding “The best ever” with a dopey grin. 

“I’m sure that they were / would you like to take a nap? / you’re looking sleepy” 

That earned the assassin a grumble and a shake of the boy's head against his shoulder, a defiant little “No!” Following, although there was no real anger behind it. “Cartoons… please” The plea was so soft, so gentle, how could Zer0 really say no. 

“We can watch cartoons / so long as you stay awake / no falling asleep

“Tired boys ought to sleep / not stay up to watch cartoons / but if you are sure” 

Zer0 barely had a chance to look properly down at Rhys before the boy was nodding again, his echo eye already connecting to the TV mounted on the wall opposite the bed, the channel of Rhys choice already selected. 

“I’m super sure!” Was all he got in response before Rhys’ attention was grabbed by the TV. Zer0 watched Rhys for a moment, enjoying the contented look on his face, and eventually those tell tale signs as the boy's eyes started to droop as he fought to keep them open. Turning his attention to the TV eventually, Zer0 decided he may as well make himself comfortable against the headboard. 

A few minutes passed like this, neither speaking, the sound from whatever show Rhys had put on, filling the room. It was nice, peaceful even. And then. 

“Zer0?” 

The assassin perked up upon hearing the soft voice, turning his head ever so slightly to look at the boy. 

“Yes?” 

Rhys smiled lazily up at the black void of Zer0s visor, eyes resting on the center as if he were trying to stare through the glass. 

“Love you” He said simply, no regret in those eyes, nor in that smile. He meant it, deeply, truly platonic or otherwise, although they both knew they had passed the point of strictly platonic when Zer0 had started bringing Rhys meals throughout the day, when that had evolved into carrying the man upstairs and putting him to bed when he needed it, and now this. 

The assassin however had no such confidence, not quite yet, he cared deeply for the man, for this boy, more so than words alone could convey and so his visor did the talking for him. 

<3

Bonus: I really wanted the story to end on the <3 so let's call this an after credits scene XD

“You’re missing your show” Zer0 said softly, gesturing towards the screen. He watched as Rhys lingered on his face for a moment longer before turning his attention back to the screen, the pair returning to mutual contented silence. Zer0 was no longer paying attention to the screen however, instead pondering how exactly this had been how his day turned out, not that he minded. It was nice to be so pleasantly surprised by Rhys, even after all these years that man still had surprises up his sleeve. How very human, to be so unpredictable, how very Rhys. 

A soft snoring pulled the assassin from his thoughts, he turned ever so slightly to look down at the boy to find he had in fact fallen asleep, as predicted, and was drooling on his shoulder. Zer0 didn’t care, not even one little bit. 

<3

**Author's Note:**

> ncdwveibvei This is my first time writing CGL stuff for real, I hope y'all liked it 
> 
> lemme know what you think bellow, maybe drop some suggestions for what you would like to see as I want to do additional smaller chapters where the pair explore more of the individual aspects of age-play together <3


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